BOOK REVIEW

DEMOCRACY AND AUTHORITARIANISM IN SOUTH ASIA; A COMPARATIVE

AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE by AYESHA JALAL
Review by:
Kh!i" Thi#
Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia;
A comparative and historical perspective
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995), 308 pages
Ayesha Jaa is a !" Pr#!ess#r #! $ist#ry serving at %"!ts University sin&e the !a
#! 1999' (in&e )003, she is as# h#ding a *#int app#intment at the $ist#ry
+epartment and the ,et&her (&h## #! -a. and +ip#ma&y' C"rrenty, Pr#!' Jaa
is the h#der #! the /ary 0i&hards#n &hair' (he did her d#&t#rate in hist#ry !r#m
the University #! Cambridge in 1983' (he has been a /a&Arth"r ,e#. sin&e
1998' (he has ta"ght at the University #! 1is&#nsin2/adis#n, %"!ts University,
C#"mbia University, and $arvard University' (#me #! her ma*#r p"bi&ati#ns are:
The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League, and the Demand for Pakistan
(1985), Modern South Asian History, Culture, Politial !onomy, "oint author #ith
Sugata $ose (1998), Self and So%ereignty: the Muslim &ndi%idual and the
Community of &slam in South Asia ()000), Partisans of Allah: Jihad in South Asia
()008)'
Ayesha Jaa3s b##4 ta4es "s ba&4 int# times .hen 5re !#r !reed#m .as ignited
am#ng the pe#pe #! s"b&#ntinent !#r separate h#meands' %he rig#r#"s
eadership #! /"sims *"st .anted t# ens"re e6"a p#.er distrib"ti#n .ith the
.ithdra.a #! 7ritish &##niaism .hi&h r"ed s"b&#ntinent !#r am#st a &ent"ry'
Jinnah pr#p#sed the idea #! t.# states i'e' Pa4istan !#r /"sim ma*#rity and
$ind"stan !#r $ind" /a*#rity' %he meth#d ad#pted by the a"th#r is hist#ri&a2
p#iti&a anaysis #! regi#na p#.ers' %his anaysis tends t# emphasi8e "p#n
di9eren&es rather than simiarities am#ng regi#na p#.ers' :t &#ntains separate
p#rti#ns deaing .ith Pre2:ndependen&e, P#st2:ndependen&e and !#rmati#n #!
7angadesh, state e&#n#my, p#p"ar &"t"res and ide##gies'
(he is str#ngy pers"aded that the birth #! :ndia and Pa4istan n#t #ny
;de<e&ted= b"t ;even dist#rted= the ide##gi&a p#siti#ns #! the :ndian >ati#na
C#ngress and A2:ndia /"sim -eag"e' ,#r in the 5na &#"nt, the /ahatma, .h#
had hated the very n#ti#n #! &entrai8ed state a"th#rity ? inasm"&h as it
represented the #rgani8ed annihiati#n #! individ"a spirit"aity and !reed#m ?
a&&epted &#ntr# #ver his &##nia masters3 ;satani&= instit"ti#ns #! #ppressi#n'
%he /"sim -eag"e, .hi&h at the east .as ;&#nsistenty &#n!"sed ide##gi&ay=,
attained Pa4istan by dividing the very /"sim &#mm"nity .h#se interests it
s"pp#sedy .anted t# represent and sa!eg"ard'
%a4ing n#te #! the state !#rmati#n and p#iti&a pr#&esses in the t.# &#"ntries,
Jaa &h##ses 19@1 as a .atershed #! s#rts' %he miitary deba&e in its eastern
.ing that year, she arg"es, .as the ;&"m"ative res"t= #! the Pa4istani de!ense
estabishment3s p#iti&a rather than miitary !ai"res' ,#r there is itte d#"bt that
the miitary a&ti#n in the then Aast Pa4istan !##.ed the ;inabiity= #! a
mani!esty a"th#ritarian regime t# preside #ver the trans!er #! p#.er in the
a!termath #! the &#"ntry3s 5rst genera ee&ti#n hed #n the basis #! "niversa
ad"t !ran&hise'
:n :ndia, the s"&&ess #! its ;!#rma dem#&ra&y= .as d"e argey t# the #rigina
strength #! the C#ngress and the p#iti&a s4is #! its eaders' As as# t# >e.
+ehi3s inheritan&e #! the 0a*3s "nitary &entre and the !#rging #! the ;very
di9erent s#rts= #! internati#na in4s in the 5rst de&ade a!ter independen&e'
-ater, :ndira Bandhi3s ;path #! p#p"ism= heped t# .iden as .e as deepen the
;s#&ia basis= #! s"pp#rt #! the C#ngress Party'
%his b##4 brie!s the reader ab#"t the prevaent p#iti&a &#n&epts and
pr#&esses, p#iti&a e&#n#my, &entra p#.er and regi#na dissiden&e in (#"th
Asia' A&&#rding t# Jaa, the &##nia ega&y, is it instit"ti#na, strategi&, e&#n#mi&
and ide##gi&a2in!#rmed the diae&ti& bet.een state &#nstr"&ti#n and the
p#iti&a pr#&ess in &riti&a .ays in the three &#"ntries i'e' Pa4istan, :ndia and
7angadesh' +em#&rati& and a"th#ritarian patterns are anay8ed &#sey
dis&"ssing the p#ssibe reas#ns behind' /a*#r patterns are anay8ed in the ight
#! pight that (#"th Asia has been distrib"ted int# di9erent shades th#"gh the
7ritish ega&y .as &#mm#n t# Pa4istan and :ndia'
%he &#ntrasting patterns s"&h as dem#&ra&y and a"th#ritarianism prevai
ar#"nd (#"th Asia' :ndia is 4n#.n t# be .#rd3s argest dem#&ra&y th#"gh s#
&aed b"t pr#pagandi8ed inteigenty .hie Pa4istan has maintained
a"th#ritarian r"e m#re than dem#&ra&y' %h#"gh !#"ndati#ns .atered .ere
p"rey dem#&rati& b"t ater &ir&"mstan&es and instabiity #! system ed the
p#iti&a aCiati#ns #! miitary ta4e #ver' A"th#r beieves dem#&ra&y and
a"th#ritarianism are re<e&tive #! #ng#ing str"gges bet.een d#minan&e and
resistan&e' :t seems m#re apt t# vie. +em#&ra&y and a"th#ritarianism as b#th
antitheti&a and interdependent hist#ri& pr#&esses, &#2eDisting in tensi#n .hie at
the same time ea&h in!#rming and trans!#rming the #ther (03)' %ransiti#n !r#m
C##niaism .as as diC&"t !#r ne.y deve#ped state Pa4istan as it .as !#r
divided :ndia 4eeping in vie. that Jinnah demanded it t# eDer&ise the !reed#m t#
eDer&ise #"r #.n pra&ti&es .hi&h .ere di9erent !r#m $ind"s' A"th#r pa&es
ide##gies i4e (e&"arism #! C#ngress and C#mm"naism #! /"sim -eag"e
behind the &reati#n #! :ndia and Pa4istan'
Jaa has as# de5ned dem#&ra&y as a system .hi&h ens"res the right t# v#te
and !reed#m #! eDpressi#n am#ng &iti8en, th#"gh every dem#&ra&y never h#ds
the eDa&t &hara&teristi&s #! its n#rmative ideas' :mp#rtant !eat"re #! dem#&rati&
pr#&esses, ee&ti#ns are #ny the p#iti&a mani!estati#n #! dem#&rati8ati#n in
.ider s&#pe' A"th#ritarianism is de5ned as #rgani8ed p#.er embedded in the
instit"ti#na str"&t"res #! the state' 1ith#"t b"rring the distin&ti#n bet.een
them it is imp#rtant t# a&4n#.edge that they may !re6"enty #verap
irrespe&tive #! the !#rma designati#n #! p#ities and states as dem#&rati& #r
a"th#ritarian' Jaa has dis&"ssed the dem#&rati& and a"th#ritarian *#"rney in
:ndia and Pa4istan' %he p#p"ist appr#a&hes #! :ndira Bandhi, E"54ar Ai 7h"tt#
and (hei4h /"*ib2"r20ehman ed t# the !#rmati#n #! 7angadesh' /rs' Bandhi
and 7h"tt# .ere a&&"sed #! pers#nai8ing p#.er, ma"ing state instit"ti#ns and
s"bverting the p#p"ist appr#a&h' A"th#r has as# end#rsed the deve#pment
s&ae #! Pa4istan and :ndia a&&#rding t# p#iti&a e&#n#my' Assets and res#"r&es
that .ere divided at the time #! partiti#n have been eDpained in #rder t#
anay8e e&#n#mi& aspe&t &eary'
Jaa maintains the idea #! &"t"re and s#&ieta n#rms as distin&tive
&hara&teristi& in >ati#n b"iding' 0eigi#n and &"t"re .ere the pr#minent
!eat"res #! ide##gies pa&ed !#r the partiti#n #! s"b2&#ntinent' :sam as reigi#n,
ide##gy and &"t"re .as a vita &a"se in t.# nati#n the#ry' Aven t#day, a
eves and segments #! Pa4istani (#&iety dra. "p#n :sam .ith#"t .h#y
s"bmerging their ing"isti& and regi#na based &"t"ra beie!s and pra&ti&es #r
their e&#n#mi& #r p#iti&a interests .ithin its rit"as #r d#&trine ())3)' 0ight
interpretati#n #! &"t"re, ide##gies and s#&ia m#sai& is eDtremey ne&essary'
-ang"age has been given prime imp#rtan&e in &"t"ra aspe&t' -ang"age .as
am#ng the &a"se pr#p#sed !#r the !#rmati#n #! 7angadesh and it paved
!#"ndati#n !#r t.#2nati#n the#ry as .e' Ch##sing Urd" as nati#na ang"age
n#t #ny g#ri5ed /"gha imperia hegem#ny b"t as# t# pr#m#te in&"si#nary
:sami& ide##gy'
+eep ba&4gr#"nds eDist behind the amended n#men&at"re #! :ndia (198F) as
Gs#vereign s#&iaist, se&"ar, dem#&rati& rep"bi&3 and Pa4istan as G:sami&
0ep"bi&3' As per the a"th#r n# s#&ia instit"ti#n and ide##gy #! hierar&hy has
mesmeri8ed the anthr#p##gists and s#&i##gists m#re than :ndian &aste system
()03)' :ndia3s !#"r distin&ti#ns in &astes &eary sh#.s the &#ntradi&ti#n .hi&h
eDists behind name #! se&"arism .ithin a brahmani&a s#&ia #rder' %his &aste
system n#t #ny &"tivates dis&riminati#n at massive s&ae b"t as# !ears the
:ndian eites #! &#nversi#ns by "nt#"&habes' Under the banner #! se&"arism,
&#ntemp#rary pi&t"re highights a &#ntradi&ti#n #! their dem#&rati& system
.here .e 5nd s"&h a stri&t distin&ti#n bet.een !a&ti#ns #! s#&iety' 7abri /as*id
eDampe has been 6"#ted in detai ()F5)'
Hn #ther side, a"th#r beieves that ,#rmati#n #! Pa4istan #n the name #! :sam
has n#t *"sti5ed itse! in s"b2&#ntinent' Aither the !#rmati#n #! a d#&trine #n this
basis seems d"bi#"s #r the :sam idi#m be&#mes d#minant en#"gh &reating
diC&"ty in &#vering a #&a and regi#na s#&ia !#rmati#ns' %he 6"esti#n #!
being G:sami&3 has a.ays been ans.ered #n pers#nai8ed basis in Pa4istan that
i! Eia de&ided t# initiate the pr#&ess #! :sami8ati#n #n state eve, 7ena8ir
resp#nded t# it thr#"gh (hari Gat 7i' :t is beieved the m#n#ithi& ide##gies in
(#"th Asia have been designed t# egitimi8e &#ntr# #ver diverse #&a and
regi#na s#&ia !#rmati#ns' Ch#i&e bet.een being Gnati#na3 #r G:sami&3 as#
be&ame a matter #! &#n!"si#n at #ne p#int' >ati#naism demands the distin&ti#n
bet.een ma*#rity and min#rity h#.ever :samism as4s !#r distin&ti#n bet.een
&iti8en and n#n2&iti8en' $#.ever, i! .e anay8e Jinnah3s demand that .as #! #ne
&#mm"nity .here n#ne .i be esser than the #ther'
%he &entra arg"ment is based #n !a&t that eDpains the dem#&rati& and
a"th#ritarian patterns thr#"gh &#mparative st"dy #! hist#ri&a perspe&tive' 7e it
e&#n#my, ide##gy, !#rmati#n, p#iti&a pr#&essI a &#n&epts are deemed
thr#"gh hist#ri&a re!eren&e' $ist#ri&a impa&t is very imp#rtant in (#"th Asia'
/a*#r P#.ers have their des&ent thr#"gh a #ng str"gge based #n a &ent"ry'
:de##gi&a perspe&tive added the spi&e t# the traditi#na rivary #! being very
di9erent !r#m ea&h #ther and that is .hy the &#n&ept #! Gdivided :ndia3 .as
stamped hard in #"r minds than ne.y !#rmed Pa4istan'
A"th#r #! this b##4 has d#ne a vita *#b #! &#e&ting the min"te detais !r#m
hist#ry !#r average pe#pe ar#"nd the g#be .h# have n# insight #! time that has
passed' : .as very impressed by the .riter3s in depth e9#rt !#r anay8ing min"te
detais' %he interesting thing .as the s#&ia partI ese the p#iti&a and
e&#n#mi&a aspe&ts are brie!ed at very basi& eve #! ed"&ati#na system'
%h#"gh n#t in this m"&h detai b"t every#ne has a &"e ab#"t independen&e
str"gge, res#"r&e distrib"ti#ns and the p#st2&#n<i&ts' :de##gi&a aspe&ts
in&"ding reigi#n .ere dis&"ssed &are!"y and inteigenty' Hvera, this reading
pr#ved t# be 4n#.edgeabe eDperien&e'
:n the &ase #! Pa4istan3s miitary2b"rea"&rati& state, the eDting"ishing #! a
dem#&rati&ay ev#ved p#iti&a system and state str"&t"re (1958) had s# !ar
pr#ved ;irreversibe=' >#r d#es the !"t"re seem t# h#d m"&h pr#mise, !#r the
s"b&#ntinent3s ;hist#ri&a ega&y #! ayered s#vereignties= needs t# be 5tted int#
inn#vative !rame.#r4s #! de&entrai8ed dem#&ra&ies' 1hi&h sh#"d be &apabe
#! re<e&ting n#t #ny the m"tipe identities #! its pe#pe b"t as# their "n!"5ed
s#&ia and e&#n#mi& aspirati#ns, %his, Jaa &#n&edes, is a ta #rder !#r the
;h##. &ar&ass= that serves as p#iti&a dis&#"rse in (#"th Asia'
Hne may n#t g# a#ng .ith a that this sim v#"me has s# pers"asivey
arg"ed, b"t there is n# denying that its anaysis has b#th s"bstan&e and depth'
%here is an #dd !eeing th#"gh that Jaa is a itte ess than !air t# :ndia3s
dem#&rati& eDperiment and s"&h meager gains as its p#ity has registered' ,#r
repeated re!eren&es in the teDt t# :ndia3s ;!#rma dem#&ra&y=, p"tting a 6"esti#n
mar4 #n its ;dem#&rati& !ederaismJ= and ;!#rmay ibera dem#&rati& m#"d= *ar
#n the ear'
:n d#ing s#, Pa4istani deve#pments, .ittingy #r #ther.ise, &#me #"t in a m#re
p#sitive, hep!" ight' 7r#ady, .hie there is n# &ase !#r t"b2th"mping >e.
+ehi3s per!#rman&e #ver the past ha! a &ent"ry #r s#, it may be &#n&eded that
it has, by and arge, ev#ved a !rame.#r4 b#th at the pr#vin&ia and #&a
g#vernment eves in .hi&h there is greater s&#pe !#r res#ving s#&ia tensi#ns
.ith#"t any seri#"s damage t# the system'
%h"s the sh#&4 .aves .hi&h /andaisati#n administered in the re&ent past
.ere harsh and tempest"#"s, yet s#meh#. the p#ity .ithst##d its m"ti!a&eted
&#nv"si#ns' %# say a this is n#t t# "nsay that b#th in :ndia and Pa4istan, and
&ertainy in 7angadesh, &entra p#iti&a a"th#rity is "p against seri#"s
&haenges: #! ing"isti& dissiden&e, reigi#"s se&tarian stri!e and &an and &aste
&#n<i&ts' (ady, #n present sh#.ing, the Pa4istani as .e as 7angadeshi
p#iti&a !rame.#r4 .#"d appear t# be a itte m#re !ragie and perhaps ess
resiient'
Jaa3s in her b##4 has in an interesting .ay anay8ed hist#ri&a aspe&ts and it3s
hard t# 5nd an#ther pie&e i4e this' 7##4s i4e 'ootloose La(or by Jan 7reman,
The )ntouha(les *Su(ordination, Po%erty and the State+ by Hiver /enders#n
and /ari4a Ki&8iany, ,emem(ering Partition by Byanendra Pandey and &ndian
Politis by At" L#hi and Prema (ingh dis&"ss di9erent se&ti#n #! b##4 revie.ed
it detai' $#.ever, ma*#r p"bi&ati#ns are by :ndian .riters' Pa4istan a#ne is
dis&"ssed in terr#rism pattern i4e in The Making of Terrorism in Pakistan by
Aam#n /"rphy' :n an#ther b##4 #! Ayesha Jaa, -Modern South Asian History,
Culture and Politial !onomy., she has ta4ed in hist#ri&a perspe&tive in4ing
events t# ater e&#n#mi& deve#pment and &"t"re' $#.ever the b##4 revie.ed
is basi&ay &atering the a&ademia, hist#rian and p#i&y ma4ers as the &#e&ti#n
is a .h#es#me a&&#"nt #! hist#ri&a events'